Remote communication control system that improves security of remote session between image forming apparatus and connection terminal, remote communication system, session management system, and recording medium

ABSTRACT

A remote communication control system includes a session relay system and a session management unit. The session relay system relays a session between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device by associating a connection established with the image forming apparatus with a connection established with the electronic device. The electronic device is located outside a network to which the image forming apparatus belongs. The session management unit manages the session. When the electronic device requests a start of the session, the session management unit causes the image forming apparatus to install an application required to establish the session.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based upon, and claims the benefit of priority from, corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-128657 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Jun. 30, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

There is known a system that executes a communication between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device located inside a Local Area Network (LAN) to which the image forming apparatus belongs. This system causes the image forming apparatus to display a User Interface (UI) screen generated by the electronic device and causes the image forming apparatus to execute a print job based on print data accumulated in the electronic device.

SUMMARY

A remote communication control system according to one aspect of the disclosure includes a session relay system and a session management unit. The session relay system relays a session between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device by associating a connection established with the image forming apparatus with a connection established with the electronic device. The electronic device is located outside a network to which the image forming apparatus belongs. The session management unit manages the session. When the electronic device requests a start of the session, the session management unit causes the image forming apparatus to install an application required to establish the session.

These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that the description provided in this summary section and elsewhere in this document is intended to illustrate the claimed subject matter by way of example and not by way of limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a remote communication system according to one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram when an image forming apparatus according to the one embodiment is an MFP;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a connection terminal according to the one embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a remote maintenance system according to the one embodiment when the remote maintenance system is configured using one server computer;

FIG. 5 illustrates a function implemented by a session relay system according to the one embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates an operation of the remote communication system according to the one embodiment when a user of the connection terminal logs in to the remote maintenance system;

FIG. 7 illustrates an operation of the remote communication system according to the one embodiment when a remote maintenance is executed via the remote maintenance system;

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation of the remote communication system according to the one embodiment when a remote session is started;

FIG. 9 illustrates a sequence diagram of a server application confirmation illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 illustrates a sequence diagram of a device side session establishment illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 illustrates a sequence diagram of a connection terminal side session establishment illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary remote session approval screen displayed in the operation illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary application installation approval screen displayed in the operation illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 illustrates an operation of the remote communication system according to the one embodiment when the image forming apparatus operates corresponding to a request from the connection terminal via the remote session;

FIG. 15A illustrates HTTP data processed by a server application in the operation illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 15B illustrates HTTP data for relaying the HTTP data illustrated in FIG. 15A on the Internet;

FIG. 16 illustrates an operation of the remote communication system according to the one embodiment when the remote session is terminated; and

FIG. 17 illustrates a sequence diagram of a device side session termination illustrated in FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example apparatuses are described herein. Other example embodiments or features may further be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the drawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

The following describes one embodiment of the disclosure with reference to the drawings.

First, a configuration of a remote communication system according to the embodiment will be described.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a remote communication system 10 according to the embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the remote communication system 10 includes an image forming apparatus 20, a gateway 30, a connection terminal 40, and a remote communication control system 15. The gateway 30 connects a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs, to a network, such as the Internet. The connection terminal 40 is an electronic device located outside the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs. The remote communication control system 15 controls a communication between the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 and the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10.

The remote communication control system 15 includes a remote maintenance system 50 and a session relay system 60. The remote maintenance system 50 is a cloud service that executes a remote maintenance to the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 corresponding to an instruction from the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10. The session relay system 60 is a cloud service that relays a direct interconnection between the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 and the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10, that is, a Peer to Peer session (hereinafter referred to as a “remote session”).

The remote communication system 10 can include an image forming apparatus in addition to the image forming apparatus 20 in the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs. The remote communication system 10 can include a network to which an image forming apparatus belongs in addition to the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs. The image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 is, for example, an image forming apparatus, such as a Multifunction Peripheral (MFP), a printer-only machine, a copy-only machine, a FAX-only machine, and a scanner-only machine.

The gateway 30 configures a firewall that prevents an attack to an inside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs from an outside of this network. Therefore, a communication between the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 and the remote maintenance system 50 is maintained by keeping the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 connecting to the remote maintenance system 50 by an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP).

The remote communication system 10 can include a connection terminal in addition to the connection terminal 40. The connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10 is, for example, a computer, such as a Personal Computer (PC).

The remote maintenance system 50 is constituted of, for example, a server computer. The remote maintenance executed by the remote maintenance system 50 is, for example, maintenance, such as a confirmation of a counter of the image forming apparatus and an installation of firmware to the image forming apparatus. The remote maintenance system 50 not only executes the remote maintenance but also manages a remote session. That is, the remote maintenance system 50 configures the session management system of the disclosure.

The session relay system 60 is constituted of, for example, a server computer.

The image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 and the remote maintenance system 50 can communicate via a network, such as the Internet. The image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 and the session relay system 60 can communicate via a network, such as the Internet. The connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10 and the remote maintenance system 50 can communicate via a network, such as the Internet. The connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10 and the session relay system 60 can communicate via a network, such as the Internet. The remote maintenance system 50 and the session relay system 60 can communicate via a network, such as the Internet.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram when the image forming apparatus 20 is an MFP.

The image forming apparatus 20 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes an operation unit 21, a display 22, a scanner 23, a printer 24, a fax communication unit 25, a communication unit 26, a storage unit 27, and a control unit 28. The operation unit 21 is an input device, such as buttons, with which various kinds of operations are input. The display 22 is a display device, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), that displays various pieces of information. The scanner 23 is a reading device that reads an image from an original document. The printer 24 is a print device that prints the image on a recording medium, such as a paper sheet. The fax communication unit 25 is a facsimile device that carries out fax communication with an external fax device (not illustrated) via a communication line, such as a dial-up line. The communication unit 26 is a communication device that communicates with an external device via a network or directly with wire or wireless without a network. The storage unit 27 is a non-volatile storage device, such as a semiconductor memory and a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), that stores various pieces of information. The control unit 28 controls the whole image forming apparatus 20.

The control unit 28 includes, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Read Only Memory (ROM) that stores programs and various data, and a Random Access Memory (RAM) used as a work area for the CPU The CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 27.

The control unit 28 executes the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 27 to implement a server application 28 a used from the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10 via the remote session, a Cloud Hub Agent 28 b that controls a communication with the session relay system 60 (see FIG. 1), and a remote session control unit 28 c that controls a remote session.

The control unit 28 can implement a server application in addition to the server application 28 a by executing the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 27.

The server application implemented by the control unit 28 includes, for example, a Web Server that notifies the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs of various setting conditions of the image forming apparatus 20 and accepts various settings of the image forming apparatus 20 from the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs. Additionally, the server application implemented by the control unit 28 includes, for example, a Remote APP Server that transmits data of a screen (for example, a Webpage) displayed on the display 22 of the image forming apparatus 20 to the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs and receives an operation to the screen displayed based on this data from the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs to cause the image forming apparatus 20 to operate corresponding to the received operation.

The server application implemented by the control unit 28 can be identified by an application ID.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the connection terminal 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the connection terminal 40 includes an operation unit 41, a display 42, a communication unit 43, a storage unit 44, and a control unit 45. The operation unit 41 is an input device, such as a keyboard and a mouse, with which various kinds of operations are input. The display 42 is a display device, such as an LCD, that displays various pieces of information. The communication unit 43 is a communication device that communicates with an external device via the network or directly with wire or wireless without the network. The storage unit 44 is a non-volatile storage device, such as a semiconductor memory and an HDD, that stores various pieces of information. The control unit 45 controls the whole connection terminal 40.

The control unit 45 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM used as a work area for the CPU. The CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 44.

The control unit 45 executes the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 44 to implement a login unit 45 a, a remote maintenance instruction unit 45 b, a client 45 c, and a remote session control unit 45 d. The login unit 45 a executes a login process to the remote maintenance system 50. The remote maintenance instruction unit 45 b instructs the remote maintenance to the remote maintenance system 50. The client 45 c uses the server application of the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 via the remote session. The remote session control unit 45 d controls the remote session.

The control unit 45 can implement a client in addition to the client 45 c by executing the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 44.

The client implemented by the control unit 45 includes, for example, a Web Browser that displays a setting condition notified from the Web Server as the server application on the display 42 and instructs various kinds of settings input from the operation unit 41 to this Web Server. Additionally, the client implemented by the control unit 45 includes, for example, an application, such as a Remote APP Client, that displays a screen based on data of a screen received from a Remote APP Server as a server application on the display 42 and transmits the operation input to this screen from the operation unit 41 to this Remote APP Server.

The client implemented by the control unit 45 can be identified by an application ID. The application ID for identifying the client implemented by the control unit 45 is identical to the application ID for identifying the server application of the image forming apparatus corresponding to this client.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the remote maintenance system 50 when the remote maintenance system 50 is configured using one server computer.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the remote maintenance system 50 includes an operation unit 51, a display 52, a communication unit 53, a storage unit 54, and a control unit 55. The operation unit 51 is an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse to which various kinds of operations are input. The display 52 is a display device such as an LCD that displays various kinds of information. The communication unit 53 is a communication device that communicates with an external device via the network or directly with wire or wireless without the network. The storage unit 54 is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory and an HDD that store various kinds of information. The control unit 55 controls the entire remote maintenance system 50.

The storage unit 54 stores a session management program 54 a for managing the remote session.

The control unit 55 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various kinds of data, and a RAM used as a work area for the CPU. The CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 54.

The control unit 55 executes a specific program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 54 to implement a login permission determining unit 55 a and a remote maintenance unit 55 b. The login permission determining unit 55 a determines whether to permit a user login. The remote maintenance unit 55 b executes the remote maintenance.

The control unit 55 executes the session management program 54 a to implement a session management unit 55 c that manages the remote session.

FIG. 5 illustrates a function implemented by the session relay system 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the session relay system 60 executes a specific program to implement a Cloud Hub 61 that controls a communication with the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10. The session relay system 60 executes a specific program so as to ensure implementing a Cloud Hub in addition to the Cloud Hub 61.

The session relay system 60 executes a specific program to implement a Web Agent 62 that controls a communication with the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10. The session relay system 60 executes a specific program so as to ensure implementing a Web Agent in addition to the Web Agent 62.

The session relay system 60 executes a specific program to implement a Master 63 and a session management database 64. The Master 63 determines which Cloud Hub is connected to the image forming apparatus and which Web Agent is connected to the connection terminal. The session management database 64 stores a log relating to the remote session.

The Cloud Hub included in the session relay system 60 and the Web Agent included in the session relay system 60 are in a relationship on a one-to-one basis. That is, a count of the Cloud Hub included in the session relay system 60 and a count of the Web Agent included in the session relay system 60 are identical.

When the image forming apparatus included in the remote communication system 10 is connected to the session relay system 60, the Master 63 determines which Cloud Hub is connected to this image forming apparatus. However, an operation of the Master 63 will not be further elaborated below.

Similarly, when the connection terminal included in the remote communication system 10 is connected to the session relay system 60, the Master 63 determines which Web Agent is connected to this connection terminal. However, an operation of the Master 63 will not be further elaborated below.

Next, an operation of the remote communication system 10 will be described.

First, an operation of the remote communication system 10 when a user of the connection terminal 40 logs in to the remote maintenance system 50 will be described.

FIG. 6 illustrates the operation of the remote communication system 10 when the user of the connection terminal 40 logs in to the remote maintenance system 50.

The user of the connection terminal 40 can instruct a login to the remote maintenance system 50 by inputting a user ID and a password via the operation unit 41. When accepting the instruction to log in to the remote maintenance system 50, the login unit 45 a of the connection terminal 40 notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the user ID and the password input via the operation unit 41 as illustrated in FIG. 6 to execute a login process to the remote maintenance system 50 (Step S101).

The login permission determining unit 55 a of the remote maintenance system 50 determines whether the login of the user is permitted or not based on a combination of the user ID and the password notified from the connection terminal 40 when the connection terminal 40 requests the login (Step S102), and replies a determination result to the connection terminal 40 (Step S103).

Next, an operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote maintenance is executed via the remote maintenance system 50 will be described.

FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote maintenance is executed via the remote maintenance system 50.

When being logged in to the remote maintenance system 50, the user of the connection terminal 40 can instruct the remote maintenance of a specific image forming apparatus (hereinafter described as the image forming apparatus 20 in the description of the operation illustrated in FIG. 7) via the remote maintenance system 50. This remote maintenance is instructed via the operation unit 41. When accepting the instruction of the remote maintenance via the remote maintenance system 50, the remote maintenance instruction unit 45 b of the connection terminal 40 notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of a device ID of the image forming apparatus 20 instructed via the operation unit 41 as illustrated in FIG. 7 to instruct the remote maintenance instructed via the operation unit 41 to the remote maintenance system 50 (Step S121).

When being instructed the remote maintenance from the connection terminal 40, the remote maintenance unit 55 b of the remote maintenance system 50 requests the image forming apparatus 20 designated as a target of the remote maintenance from the connection terminal 40 to execute the maintenance instructed from the connection terminal 40 by the XMPP (Step S122).

When the remote maintenance system 50 requests the maintenance, the control unit 28 of the image forming apparatus 20 executes the maintenance requested by the remote maintenance system 50 (Step S123), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of an execution result of the maintenance by the XMPP (Step S124).

When the execution result of the maintenance is notified from the image forming apparatus 20, the remote maintenance unit 55 b of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the execution result notified from the image forming apparatus 20 (Step S125).

Next, an operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote session is started will be described.

FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote session is started. FIG. 9 illustrates a sequence diagram of a server application confirmation illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 illustrates a sequence diagram of a device side session establishment illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 11 illustrates a sequence diagram of a connection terminal side session establishment illustrated in FIG. 8.

When being logged in to the remote maintenance system 50, the user of the connection terminal 40 can designate a specific client (hereinafter described as the client 45 c in the description of the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11) and instruct to start the remote session with a specific image forming apparatus (hereinafter described as the image forming apparatus 20 in the description of the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11) via the operation unit 41. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11, when accepting the instruction to start the remote session, the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the device ID of the image forming apparatus 20 instructed via the operation unit 41 and an application ID of the client 45 c instructed via the operation unit 41 to request the remote maintenance system 50 to start the remote session (Step S141).

It is preferred that the user of the connection terminal 40 separately inform a user of the image forming apparatus 20 of the fact that starting the remote session with the image forming apparatus 20 is desired by means of, for example, a telephone call in advance before instructing to start the remote session with the image forming apparatus 20 via the operation unit 41 when the user of the connection terminal 40 instructs to start the remote session with the image forming apparatus 20 via the operation unit 41.

When accepting the request at Step S141, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the image forming apparatus 20 specified by the device ID notified at Step S141 of the application ID notified at Step S141 to query whether the server application specified by this application ID is installed in the image forming apparatus 20 or not by the XMPP (Step S142).

When receiving the query at Step S142, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 determines whether the server application specified by the application ID notified at Step S142 among the server applications of the image forming apparatus 20 is installed or not (Step S143), and notifies the determination result by the XMPP (Step S144).

When receiving the notification of Step S144 that indicates that the target server application is installed, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the application ID notified at Step S141 to request the image forming apparatus 20 to approve the start of the remote session by the XMPP (Step S145).

When receiving the request of Step S145, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 displays a remote session approval screen 70 (see FIG. 12) that accepts the instruction whether to approve the start of the remote session on the display 22 (Step S146).

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the remote session approval screen 70.

The remote session approval screen 70 illustrated in FIG. 12 includes a message 71, a YES button 72, and a NO button 73. The message 71 queries whether the remote session is approved or not. The YES button 72 is for accepting an instruction to approve starting the remote session. The NO button 73 is for accepting an instruction not to approve starting the remote session. The user of the image forming apparatus 20 can press any one of the YES button 72 and the NO button 73 via the operation unit 21.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11, when the YES button 72 is pressed via the operation unit 21, the remote session control unit 28 c notifies the remote maintenance system 50 by the XMPP of the fact that the remote session is approved (Step S147).

Although the illustration is omitted, when the NO button 73 is pressed with respect to the remote session approval screen 70 displayed on the display 22 via the operation unit 21 at Step S146, the remote communication system 10 operates as follows. First, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 notifies the remote maintenance system 50 by the XMPP of the fact that the remote session has failed to be approved. Next, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the fact that the remote session has failed to be approved. Then, the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 displays the fact that the remote session has failed to be approved on the display 42.

When receiving the notification of Step S144 indicating that the target server application is not installed, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the application ID notified at Step S141 to request the image forming apparatus 20 to approve the installation of the server application specified by this application ID by the XMPP (Step S148).

When receiving the request of Step S148, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 displays an application installation approval screen 75 (see FIG. 13) that accepts the instruction whether the installation of the server application specified by the application ID notified at Step S148 is approved or not on the display 22 (Step S149).

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the application installation approval screen 75.

The application installation approval screen 75 illustrated in FIG. 13 includes a message 76, a YES button 77, and a NO button 78. The message 76 queries whether the installation of the server application for the remote session is approved or not. The YES button 77 is for accepting an instruction to approve the start of installing the server application. The NO button 78 is for accepting an instruction not to approve the start of installing the server application. The user of the image forming apparatus 20 can press any one of the YES button 77 and the NO button 78 via the operation unit 21.

When the YES button 77 is pressed via the operation unit 21, the remote session control unit 28 c notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the fact that the installation of the target server application is approved by the XMPP as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11 (Step S150).

Although the illustration is omitted, when the NO button 78 is pressed with respect to the application installation approval screen 75 displayed on the display 22 via the operation unit 21 at Step S149, the remote communication system 10 operates as follows. First, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 notifies the remote maintenance system 50 by the XMPP of the fact that the installation of the target server application has failed to be approved. Next, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the fact that the remote session has failed to be approved. Then, the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 displays the fact that the remote session has failed to be approved on the display 42.

When receiving the notification of Step S147 or S150, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 requests connection information from the session relay system 60 by an Application Program Interface (API) (Step S151).

When receiving the request of Step S151, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 generates a session ID for the session relay system 60 to identify the communication made by this remote session (Step S152), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the generated session ID as the connection information using the API (Step S153). As the session ID, random identification information is employed. The random identification information includes, for example, a random number sequence generated by a hash algorithm, such as a Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC), which is BASE64 encoded so as to be handled on a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

When the session ID is notified at Step S153, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 generates a token for the remote maintenance system 50 to recognize a valid duration of the remote session (Step S154).

When the fact that the remote session is approved is notified at Step S147, the session management unit 55 c notifies the image forming apparatus 20 of the token generated at Step S154 and the session ID notified at Step S153 by the XMPP after the process at Step S154 (Step S155).

When the fact that the installation of the target server application is approved is notified at Step S150, the session management unit 55 c notifies the image forming apparatus 20 of the token generated at Step S154, the session ID notified at Step S153, and the target server application by the XMPP after the process at Step S154 (Step S156).

When receiving the server application transmitted at Step S156, the remote session control unit 28 c of the image forming apparatus 20 installs this server application to the image forming apparatus 20 itself (Step S157).

Hereinafter, the server application specified by the application ID notified from the connection terminal 40 to the remote maintenance system 50 at Step S141 is described as the server application 28 a.

After the process at Step S155 or S156, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the fact that the token and the session ID are obtained (Step S158).

When the token and the session ID are notified at Step S155 or S156, the server application 28 a of the image forming apparatus 20 activates the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b to which the token and the session ID notified at Step S155 or S156 are set (Step S171).

Next, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b notifies the session relay system 60 of the set token and session ID to request the session relay system 60 to establish the session (Step S172).

When receiving the request of Step S172, the Cloud Hub 61 associated with the session ID notified at Step S172 among the Cloud Hubs of the session relay system 60 requests the remote maintenance system 50 to execute an authentication by the token notified at Step S172, using the API (Step S173). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 executes the authentication requested at Step S173 (Step S174), and notifies the session relay system 60 of a result of the authentication using the API (Step S175).

When a successful authentication is notified at Step S175, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 stores a log indicating the start of the session with the image forming apparatus 20 in the session management database 64 (Step S176), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the log stored at Step S176 together with the token, using the API (Step S177). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 manages the log notified at Step S177 as a log of the remote session identified by the token notified at Step S177 (Step S178), and replies the fact that this log is managed to the session relay system 60, using the API (Step S179).

When the successful authentication is notified at Step S175, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 notifies the image forming apparatus 20 of the fact that the session with the image forming apparatus 20 is established (Step S180). That is, an HTTP-based WebSocket connection is established between the image forming apparatus 20 and the session relay system 60.

After the process at Step S141, the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 requests the connection information from the remote maintenance system 50 by polling until ensuring obtaining the connection information from the remote maintenance system 50 (Step S201).

When the token is already generated at Step S154 when the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 receives the request of Step S201, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the connection terminal 40 of this token and the session ID notified from the session relay system 60 at Step S153 as the connection information (Step S202).

When the token and the session ID are notified at Step S202, the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 activates the client 45 c to which the token and the session ID notified at Step S202 are set (Step S203).

Next, the client 45 c notifies the session relay system 60 of the set token and session ID to request the session relay system 60 to establish the session (Step S204).

When receiving the request of Step S204, the Web Agent 62 associated with the session ID notified at Step S204 among the Web Agents of the session relay system 60 notifies the Cloud Hub 61 of the token and the session ID notified at Step S204 to request the Cloud Hub 61 to establish the session (Step S205).

When receiving the request of Step S205, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 requests the remote maintenance system 50 to execute an authentication by the token notified at Step S205, using the API (Step S206). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 executes the authentication requested at Step S206 (Step S207), and notifies the session relay system 60 of a result of the authentication using the API (Step S208).

When a successful authentication is notified at Step S208, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 stores a log indicating the start of the session with the connection terminal 40 in the session management database 64 (Step S209), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the log stored at Step S209 together with the token, using the API (Step S210). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 manages the log notified at Step S210 as a log of the remote session identified by the token notified at Step S210 (Step S211), and replies the fact that this log is managed to the session relay system 60, using the API (Step S212).

When the successful authentication is notified at Step S208, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 notifies the Web Agent 62 of the fact that the session with the connection terminal 40 is established (Step S213). Accordingly, the Web Agent 62 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the fact that the session with the connection terminal 40 is established (Step S214). That is, an HTTP-based WebSocket connection is established between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60.

The session relay system 60 associates the WebSocket connection established with the image forming apparatus 20 by the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11 with the WebSocket connection established with the connection terminal 40 by the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11, using the session ID. Accordingly, the remote session is established by the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11.

The following describes an operation of the remote communication system 10 when the image forming apparatus 20 operates corresponding to the request from the connection terminal 40 via the remote session.

FIG. 14 illustrates the operation of the remote communication system 10 when the image forming apparatus 20 operates corresponding to the request from the connection terminal 40 via the remote session.

When the remote session is established by the operation illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11, the user of the connection terminal 40 can instruct a request toward the image forming apparatus 20 via the operation unit 41. When accepting the instruction to request toward the image forming apparatus 20, the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 generates an HTTP request for notifying the request instructed via the operation unit 41 as illustrated in FIG. 14 (Step S231).

Here, a structure of the HTTP request generated at Step S231 will be described.

FIG. 15A illustrates HTTP data 80 processed by the server application 28 a. FIG. 15B illustrates HTTP data 90 for relaying the HTTP data 80 illustrated in FIG. 15A on the Internet.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the HTTP data 80 includes an HTTP header 81 and an HTTP body 82. The HTTP data 90 includes an HTTP header 91 for relaying on the Internet and the HTTP data 80 as an HTTP body 92. The HTTP header 91 includes an application ID 91 a for identifying the server application 28 a.

The client 45 c generates HTTP data having a structure similar to that of the HTTP data 90 illustrated in FIG. 15B as the HTTP request for notifying the request instructed via the operation unit 41. Here, the session ID is stored in a position corresponding to the HTTP header 91.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 transmits the HTTP request generated at Step S231 to the session relay system 60 by the WebSocket connection (Step S232).

When the HTTP request is transmitted at Step S232, the Web Agent 62 associated with the session ID included in the HTTP request transmitted at Step S232 among the Web Agents of the session relay system 60 passes this HTTP request to the Cloud Hub 61 (Step S233). Accordingly, the Cloud Hub 61 transmits this HTTP request to the image forming apparatus 20 by the WebSocket connection corresponding to the session ID included in this HTTP request (Step S234).

When the HTTP request is transmitted at Step S234, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b of the image forming apparatus 20 identifies the server application 28 a corresponding to the application ID included in this HTTP request (Step S235).

Next, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b generates an HTTP request that is made by removing the HTTP header for relaying on the Internet from the HTTP request transmitted at Step S234 (Step S236). Here, the HTTP request generated at Step S236 is HTTP data having a structure similar to that of the HTTP data 80 illustrated in FIG. 15A.

Next, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b passes the HTTP request generated at Step S236 to the server application 28 a identified at Step S235 (Step S237).

When the HTTP request is passed at Step S237, the server application 28 a generates an HTTP response corresponding to this HTTP request (Step S238). Here, the HTTP response generated at Step S238 is HTTP data having a structure similar to that of the HTTP data 80 illustrated in FIG. 15A.

Next, the server application 28 a passes the HTTP response generated at Step S238 to the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b (Step S239).

When the HTTP response is passed at Step S239, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b generates an HTTP response that is made by putting on the HTTP header for relaying on the Internet to the HTTP response passed at Step S239 (Step S240). Here, the HTTP response generated at Step S240 is HTTP data having a structure similar to that of the HTTP data 90 illustrated in FIG. 15B. The session ID is stored in a position corresponding to the HTTP header 91.

The Cloud Hub Agent 28 b transmits the HTTP response generated at Step S240 to the session relay system 60 by the WebSocket connection (Step S241).

When the HTTP response is transmitted at Step S241, the Cloud Hub 61 associated with the session ID included in the HTTP response transmitted at Step S241 among the Cloud Hubs in the session relay system 60 passes this HTTP response to the Web Agent 62 (Step S242). Accordingly, the Web Agent 62 transmits this HTTP response to the connection terminal 40 by the WebSocket connection corresponding to the session ID included in this HTTP response (Step S243).

Accordingly, the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 can receive the HTTP response transmitted at Step S243.

Next, an operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote session is terminated will be described.

FIG. 16 illustrates the operation of the remote communication system 10 when the remote session is terminated. FIG. 17 illustrates a sequence diagram of a device side session termination illustrated in FIG. 16.

The user of the connection terminal 40 can instruct to terminate the remote session with a specific server application (hereinafter described as the server application 28 a in the description of the operation illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17) of a specific image forming apparatus (hereinafter described as the image forming apparatus 20 in the description of the operation illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17) via the operation unit 41. When accepting the instruction to terminate the remote session the remote session control unit 45 d of the connection terminal 40 notifies the client 45 c of the token and the session ID of the remote session instructed via the operation unit 41 as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 to request the client 45 c to terminate the remote session (Step S261). Accordingly, the client 45 c requests the session relay system 60 to terminate the remote session requested at Step S261 by the WebSocket connection (Step S262).

When the termination of the remote session is requested at Step S262, the Web Agent 62 associated with a session ID included in the request at Step S262 among the Web Agents of the session relay system 60 passes this request to the Cloud Hub 61 (Step S263). Accordingly, the Cloud Hub 61 requests the remote maintenance system 50 to terminate the remote session identified by the token included in this request, using the API (Step S264).

When receiving the request of Step S264, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 requests the image forming apparatus 20 as a target of the remote session, which is a target of the request at Step S264, to terminate this remote session by the XMPP (Step S265).

Next, the session management unit 55 c notifies the fact that the request to terminate the remote session is accepted to the session relay system 60, using the API (Step S266).

When the acceptance of the request to terminate the remote session is notified at Step S266, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 stores a log indicating the termination of the session with the connection terminal 40 in the session management database 64 (Step S267), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the log stored at Step S267 together with the token, using the API (Step S268). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 manages the log notified at Step S268 as a log of the remote session identified by the token notified at Step S268 (Step S269), and replies the fact that this log is managed to the session relay system 60, using the API (Step S270).

When receiving the reply at Step S270, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 notifies the Web Agent 62 of the termination of the WebSocket connection between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 (Step S271). Accordingly, the Web Agent 62 notifies the connection terminal 40 of the termination of the WebSocket connection between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 (Step S272).

When the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 receives the notification of Step S272, the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 notifies the termination of the WebSocket connection between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 to the remote session control unit 45 d (Step S273), and terminates the operation of the client 45 c of the connection terminal 40 itself.

Accordingly, the remote session control unit 45 d can display the fact of, for example, the termination of the WebSocket connection between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 on the display 42.

When receiving the request at Step S265, the server application 28 a as the target of the remote session, which is the target of the request received at Step S265, among the server applications of the image forming apparatus 20 notifies the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b of the token and the session ID of this remote session to request the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b to terminate the remote session (Step S291). Accordingly, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b requests the session relay system 60 to terminate the remote session requested at Step S291 by the WebSocket connection (Step S292).

When receiving the request of Step S292, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 requests the remote maintenance system 50 to terminate the remote session identified by the token included in this request, using the API (Step S293).

When receiving the request of Step S293, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 notifies the session relay system 60 of the fact that the request to terminate the remote session is accepted, using the API (Step S294).

When the acceptance of the request to terminate the remote session is notified at Step S294, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 stores a log indicating the termination of the session with the image forming apparatus 20 in the session management database 64 (Step S295), and notifies the remote maintenance system 50 of the log stored at Step S295 together with the token, using the API (Step S296). Accordingly, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 manages the log notified at Step S296 as a log of the remote session identified by the token notified at Step S296 (Step S297), and replies the fact that this log is managed to the session relay system 60, using the API (Step S298).

When receiving the reply at Step S298, the Cloud Hub 61 of the session relay system 60 notifies the image forming apparatus 20 of the termination of the WebSocket connection between the image forming apparatus 20 and the session relay system 60 (Step S299).

When receiving the notification at Step S299, the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b of the image forming apparatus 20 terminates its operation.

When the server application 28 a is installed at Step S158, the control unit 28 of the image forming apparatus 20 uninstalls the server application 28 a after terminating the Cloud Hub Agent 28 b (Step S300).

When the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 confirms both that the log indicating the termination of the session between the image forming apparatus 20 and the session relay system 60 is notified from the session relay system 60 and that the log indicating the termination of the session between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 is notified from the session relay system 60, the session management unit 55 c of the remote maintenance system 50 determines that the remote session between the image forming apparatus 20 and the connection terminal 40 via the session relay system 60 is terminated. When the session management unit 55 c determines that the remote session between the image forming apparatus 20 and the connection terminal 40 via the session relay system 60 is not terminated, the session management unit 55 c does not permit to establish a new remote session between the image forming apparatus 20 and the connection terminal 40 via the session relay system 60.

As described above, in the remote communication control system 15, the image forming apparatus 20 and the connection terminal 40 located outside the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs are not directly connected but establish the remote session relayed by the session relay system 60. This ensures improving the security when the image forming apparatus 20 is controlled from the connection terminal 40 located outside the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs.

In the remote communication system 10, the image forming apparatus 20 establishes the WebSocket connection, which uses the session ID, with the session relay system 60 (Steps S171 to S180), the connection terminal 40 establishes the WebSocket connection, which uses the session ID, with the session relay system 60 (Steps S201 to S214), and the session relay system 60 relays the remote session by associating the connection established with the connection terminal 40 with the connection established with the image forming apparatus 20, using the session ID (Steps S231 to S243). With this configuration, in the remote communication system 10, only the connection terminal 40 notified of the session ID from the remote maintenance system 50 among the connection terminals located outside the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs establishes the remote session with the image forming apparatus 20 relayed by the session relay system 60, thereby ensuring an improved security when the image forming apparatus 20 is controlled from the connection terminal 40 located outside the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs.

In the remote communication system 10, the session ID used by the WebSocket connection established between the image forming apparatus 20 and the session relay system 60 and the session ID used by the WebSocket connection established between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 are identical session IDs. With this configuration, it is not necessary for the remote communication system 10 to associate two mutually different session IDs in the session relay system 60, thereby ensuring a simplified process of the session ID in the session relay system 60. The session ID used by the WebSocket connection established between the image forming apparatus 20 and the session relay system 60 and the session ID used by the WebSocket connection established between the connection terminal 40 and the session relay system 60 may be mutually different as long as they are associated with one another in the session relay system 60.

In the remote communication system 10, at least one of the WebSocket connection established between the session relay system 60 and the connection terminal 40 and the WebSocket connection established between the session relay system 60 and the image forming apparatus 20 may be a connection with encrypted communication, such as a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). With this configuration, the remote communication system 10 has at least a part of a path of the remote session between the connection terminal 40 and the image forming apparatus 20 relayed by the session relay system 60 encrypted, thereby ensuring reducing an occurrence of an invalid use, such as cracking, to the image forming apparatus 20.

In the remote communication system 10, the remote maintenance system 50 accepts the request (Step S141) to start the remote session from the connection terminal 40 when the user of the connection terminal 40 is logged in to the remote maintenance system 50. The remote maintenance system 50 does not execute the notification (Step S155 or S156) of the session ID to the image forming apparatus 20 and the notification (Step S202) of the session ID to the connection terminal 40 when the request to start the remote session is not accepted from the connection terminal 40. With this configuration, the remote communication system 10 has the remote session between the connection terminal 40 and the image forming apparatus 20 relayed by the session relay system 60 established only when the user of the connection terminal 40 can log in to the remote maintenance system 50, thereby ensuring the improved security of this remote session.

In the remote communication system 10, the remote maintenance system 50 does not execute the notification (Step S155 or S156) of the session ID to the image forming apparatus 20 and the notification (Step S202) of the session ID to the connection terminal 40 when the start of the remote session is not approved from the user of the image forming apparatus 20. With this configuration, the remote communication system 10 has the remote session between the connection terminal 40 and the image forming apparatus 20 relayed by the session relay system 60 established only when the start of the remote session is approved by the user of the image forming apparatus 20, thereby ensuring the improved security of this remote session. The remote maintenance system 50 may be configured not to execute any one of the notification of the session ID to the image forming apparatus 20 and the notification of the session ID to the connection terminal 40 when the start of the remote session is not approved by the user of the image forming apparatus 20.

In the remote communication system 10, the session relay system 60 changes the session ID (Step S152) every time the session ID is requested by the remote maintenance system 50 (Step S151). With this configuration, the remote communication system 10 has the session ID changed every time the remote session between the connection terminal 40 and the image forming apparatus 20 relayed by the session relay system 60 is established, thereby ensuring the improved security of this remote session.

The remote communication system 10 displays the screen identical to the screen displayed on the image forming apparatus 20 on the connection terminal 40 located in the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs so as to operate the image forming apparatus 20 from this connection terminal 40, thereby ensuring an easy operation of the image forming apparatus 20 from the connection terminal 40 located in the outside of the network to which the image forming apparatus 20 belongs at a low cost. For example, the connection terminal 40 is configured to cause the user of the connection terminal 40 to execute various kinds of settings to the image forming apparatus 20, such as a setting of an address book of the image forming apparatus 20, by displaying a setting screen of the image forming apparatus 20 on the display 42. The connection terminal 40 is configured to cause the user of the connection terminal 40 to execute confirmations of various pieces of information of the image forming apparatus 20, such as a confirmation of errors occurred in the image forming apparatus 20, a confirmation of a printed count with the image forming apparatus 20, and a remaining amount of a toner in the image forming apparatus 20, by, for example, displaying a confirmation screen for the various pieces of information of the image forming apparatus 20 on the display 42. The connection terminal 40 is configured to cause the user of the connection terminal 40 to execute installing various kinds of software to the image forming apparatus 20, such as an installation of firmware to the image forming apparatus 20 and an installation of an application to the image forming apparatus 20, by, for example, displaying an installation screen of software to the image forming apparatus 20 on the display 42.

The connection terminal 40 can communicate with various kinds of applications in the image forming apparatus 20 by the remote session, thereby ensuring implementing various functions besides the maintenance to the image forming apparatus 20.

In this embodiment, the remote communication system 10 can execute the remote maintenance via the remote maintenance system 50 as the session management system as illustrated in FIG. 7. However, it is not necessary for the remote communication system 10 to be configured to execute the remote maintenance via the session management system.

When the connection terminal requests the remote communication control system 15 to start the remote session, the remote communication control system 15 causes the image forming apparatus to install the server application required to establish the remote session (Steps S156 and S157); therefore, the connection terminal can establish the remote session with the image forming apparatus on which the server application required to establish the remote session requested to be started by this connection terminal is absent.

The remote communication control system 15 causes the image forming apparatus to install the server application only when the user of the image forming apparatus approves the installation of the server application through the application installation approval screen 75; therefore, the security of the remote session between the connection terminal and the image forming apparatus relayed by the session relay system 60 can be improved.

The remote communication control system 15 handles the approval of the installation of the server application from the user of the image forming apparatus as the approval to start the remote session from the user of the image forming apparatus, thereby ensuring reducing a burden to the user of the image forming apparatus. The remote communication control system 15 may be configured to accept the approval to start the remote session from the user of the image forming apparatus when accepting the approval of the installation of the server application from the user of the image forming apparatus.

In the remote communication system 10, the server application required to establish the remote session is installed in the image forming apparatus when the remote session is started and is uninstalled from the image forming apparatus when the remote session is terminated, thereby ensuring reducing the use of the storage capacity of the image forming apparatus more than necessary.

For example, if a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus, after a diagnostic program that can diagnose this problem is installed on the image forming apparatus as the server application and a diagnostic result by this diagnostic program is confirmed via the remote session, the remote communication system 10 can cause this diagnostic program to be uninstalled from the image forming apparatus when the remote session is terminated. With this configuration, the remote communication system 10 can execute an appropriate maintenance diagnostic by the diagnostic program appropriate for the specific problem occurred in the image forming apparatus compared with the configuration in which a general diagnostic program has been installed on the image forming apparatus in advance.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A remote communication control system comprising: a session relay system that relays a session between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device by associating a connection established with the image forming apparatus with a connection established with the electronic device, the electronic device being located outside a network to which the image forming apparatus belongs; and a session management unit that manages the session, wherein when the electronic device requests a start of the session, the session management unit determines whether an application required to establish the session is installed or not, wherein when the application required to establish the session is not installed, the session management unit causes the image forming apparatus to install the application required to establish the session only when the installation of the application is approved by a user of the image forming apparatus.
 2. The remote communication control system according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic device requests the start of the session, the session management unit causes the session relay system to relay the session only when the start of the session is approved by the user of the image forming apparatus, and the session management unit handles the approval of the installation of the application by the user of the image forming apparatus as the approval of the start of the session by the user of the image forming apparatus.
 3. A remote communication system comprising: the remote communication control system according to claim 1; and the image forming apparatus, wherein when the session is terminated, the image forming apparatus uninstalls the application.
 4. A session management system comprising a session management unit that manages a session relayed by a session relay system, the session relay system relaying the session between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device by associating a connection established with the image forming apparatus with a connection established with the electronic device, the electronic device being located outside a network to which the image forming apparatus belongs, wherein when the electronic device requests a start of the session, the session management unit determines whether an application required to establish the session is installed or not, wherein when the application required to establish the session is not installed, the session management unit causes the image forming apparatus to install the application required to establish the session only when the installation of the application is approved by a user of the image forming apparatus.
 5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a session management program, wherein the session management program causes a computer to function as a session management unit, the session management unit that manages a session relayed by a session relay system, the session relay system relaying the session between an image forming apparatus and an electronic device by associating a connection established with the image forming apparatus with a connection established with the electronic device, the electronic device being located outside a network to which the image forming apparatus belongs, and when the electronic device requests a start of the session, the session management unit determines whether an application required to establish the session is installed or not, when the application required to establish the session is not installed, the session management unit causes the image forming apparatus to install the application required to establish the session only when the installation of the application is approved by a user of the image forming apparatus. 